Paper product and method of making the same



April 13, 1937. v. -r. H'OEFLICH PAPER PRODUCT AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed Dec. 4, 1935 INVENTOR Vicfor T. HoeFI-nch BY M M ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 13, 1937 PATIENT *OFFICE PAPER PRODUCT AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Victor '1. Hoeflich, New York, N. Y., assignor to American Merrilei Corporation, N. Y., a corporation of New York New York,

Application December 4, 1935, Serial No. 52,753 28 Claims. (01. 41-10) This invention relates to a paper ornament or like product, particularly a paper wreath, and also to a preferred method for manufacturing the same.

The primary object of my invention resides in the provision of a novel form of wreath or like ornamental product. Further objects center about a preferred method for making the same. The wreath is torodial in shape, and

comprises convolutions of paper compressed in the direction of the generatrix of the toroid in order to form a continuous series of transverse corrugations which give the wreath the desired irregular surface appearance.

Considered in a broader aspect, it is an object of my invention to provide a corrugated paper tube for general. use, for example for the body, arms or legs of paper dolls suitable for gifts, favors, table decorations and the like.

In accordance with a more particular object and feature of my invention, I employ crepe paper which I find particularly suitable because I of its ability to stretch and accommodate deformation during formation of the corrugations.

lar accordingas the grain of theorem paper is disposed transversely or longitudinally of the axis of the corrugated tube, and I find it preferable in the case of a wreath, to dispose the grain longitudinally in order to obtain an irregular surface. v

Where a shiny rather than a dull finish is desired, accompanied by a scintillating luminosity, I find it both feasible and desirable to employ regenerated cellulose paper such as the commercial products Cellophane, Sylphwrap and the like. A further object of my invention is to make possible the use of this paper despite its inability to stretch.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and other objects which will hereinafter appear, my invention consists in the paper product and method of making the same, and their relation one to the other, as hereinafter are more particularly described in. the specification and sought to be defined in the claims. The specification is accompanied by a drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a paper wreath The corrugations may be made regular or irregucylinder of paper in an axial direction in order to crumple or corrugate the same;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing the manner in which the flanged ends of the corrugated cylinder are brought in end to end 5 relation to form a toroid or wreath;

Figs. 6 and 7 show a modified method suitable for use with regenerated cellulose paper, the paper being preliminarily wound on one mandrel as shown in Fig. 6 and then transferred to a m mandrel of smaller diameter, as shown in Fig. '7, for axial compression;

Fig. 8 shows the method of making a wreath which is reinforced by an internal ring;

Fig. 9 is explanatory of a modification in which 15 two joined collaterally disposed cylinders are formed;

Fig. 10 is explanatory of one form of wreath obtainable from the double cylinder; and

1 Fig. 11 is explanatory of another form of wreath obtainable from the double cylinder.

Referring to the drawing, and more particularly to Fig. 1, the paper product is specifically illustrated as a wreath, this wreath comprising a shell of paper bent to form a toroid I2. The 25 paper is compressed in the direction of the axis of the generatrix of the toroid in order to crumpie the paper into a series of corrugations M which give the wreath an irregular surface. It will be understood that the paper is suitably colored, it being made red in' the case of a Christmas wreath, or green, or any other color thought suitable or desired. The wreath may be completed by a decoration l6 here exemplified by a piece of relatively stiff paper simulating a bow of ribbon or the like. This decoration may be cemented to the side of the wreath and is preferably placed at the joint between the ends of the paper, thus concealing the point of juncture.

The construction of the wreath may be. ex- 40 plained in greater detail by referring to the .preferred mode of manufacture. A piece of suitable paper 18 is preliminarily rolled about a mandrel 20. The paper is properly dimensioned, the dimension in the direction of the mandrel de- 45 pending upon the circumference of the wreath and the degree of crumpling or corrugation desired, and the dimension transverse of the mandrel depending upon the size of the generatrix of the toroid and the number of thicknesses of paper wanted. This in turn depends upon the character of the paper and degree of flexibility cemented in place as is indicated by the strip of cement shown at 22 in Fig. 3.

The mandrel 20 is provided with suitable collars 24 which are slidable on the mandrel and 6 which are then moved toward one another, as is indicated in the change from Fig. 3 to Fig. 4, thus imparting the corrugations l4 to the cylinder of paper. cylinder are flanged as is indicated at 26 due to the pressure thereagainst by the collars 24. In most cases the paper will be flanged outwardly as is clearly shown in Fig. 5, and if desired, this result may be insured by the provision of small tapered or conical approaches on the inner faces of the collars 24. However, the matter is not of critical importance because even if the paper is faced or flanged inwardly instead of outwardly, the resulting flange is helpful and adequate for cementing the ends of the tube together to form a ring.

It will be understood that the tube after corrugation as shown in Fig. 4 is slid from the mandrel and is then. bent to bring the ends together, as is shown in Fig. 5. I may point out that the very existence of the corrugations H on the tube imparts a very high degree of flexibility thereto and there is but little resistance to bending the same to circular shape. Because of the corrugations the bend imparted to the tube is quite uniform and regular, and .the desired circular shape is obtained without necessitating the use of an inner core or an outer guide wall or the like.

One preferred material for use in this process is crepe paper. I find that crepe paper readily expands the necessary amount for the formation of the corrugations. The surface texture looks well in the finished wreath. By using a number of thicknesses when winding the paper about the mandrel the wreath may be made quite strong against flattening or crushing. In this connection it will be understood that the corrugations themselves give the toroid a channel shape when considered in section, which strengthens the same against deformation. The crepe paper results in a corrugated tube which is readily bent and flexible, but which acts in the nature of a plastic rather than a spring so that when the corrugated tube is bent from straight to circular 60 formation, the ends may be cemented and held together without any marked tendency to spring apart.

In using crepe paper, substantially different results may be obtained depending upon the direction in which the grain of the paper is placed.

If the grain is disposed transversely of the mandrel when winding the paper thereon, the resulting corrugations are-extremely regular and evenly spaced and each corrugation tends to form a true complete circle entirely around the body of the wreath. Where regular corrugation is desired the grain should be thus disposed.

However, in the particular case of a wreath, I deem it preferable to produce a very irregular surface, the individual corrugations preferably being incomplete and staggered relative to one another. I flnd that this result is readily accomplished by arranging the grain of the crepe paper in the direction. of the mandrel when wind ing the paper thereon.

In dealing with regenerated cellulose paper, which is desirable because of its lustrous, glossy and transparent appearance, the method is preferably modified somewhat. The regenerated celv luiose paper is entirely diflerent from crepe At the same time the ends of the paper in being substantially incapable of taking stretch or elongation without rupture. Despite this fact, I have found that beautiful results may be obtained by the following process.

A sheet of regenerated cellulose paper 30 is preliminarily wound about a mandrel 32, the diameter of which is somewhat larger for a specifled size of wreath than would be employed when dealing with crepe paper. The trailing edge 34 of the sheet is preferably cemented in place to hold the paper in cylindrical form, and with theusual commercial papers of this character the desired result may be obtained by simply moistening the edge, nospecial cement being necessary. The cylinder is then slid from mandrel 32 and transferred to a mandrel 36 of substantially smaller diameter. In other words, there is avery appreciable clearance between the interior of the paper cylinder 38 and the mandrel 36. Collars 40 are then slid toward one another on mandrel 36, thus axially compressing the cylinder to crumple or corrugate the surface thereof. The paper is bent inwardly as well as outwardly to form the corrugations, the cylinder 38 being at the mean rather than the minimum diameter.

I may remark that with this paper, incomplete and irregular corrugations are obtained as a regular thing, presumably because of the inelastic nature of the paper. This fact is an important advantage because the surface is made up of a vast number of small facets directed at different angles, which catch and reflect the light in a glittering manner. The corrugation of the cylinder makes the same readily and evenly bendable to the desired toroidal or circular shape.

As previously mentioned, it is not essential to reinforce or shape the wreath by an internal core, for the corrugation of the cylinder causes the same to bend uniformly and therefore assume and maintain a regular circular shape. However, if it is desired to use a core, particularly in wreaths of large size, it is readily possible to do so, as is illustrated in Fig. 8. In this case the strip 42 is passed through the corrugated tube while the strip and tube are both straight. Strip 42 is then bent to circular shape and its ends secured together, as by means of the thread or wire 44. The ends 46 of the corrugated tube may then be released to move together in end to end relation. With the tube appropriately dimensioned to expand to closed condition it is unnecessary to cement the ends 46 together, although this may be done if desired. A suitable ornament such as the bow l6 shown in Fig. 1 may be cemented to the wreath over the abutting ends 46, in which case the ornament will itself operate to hold the ends together. The strip 42 may be a reed, a wire, a strip of cardboard, or any other suitable material.

The wreath may also be stiffened in entirely different fashion by impregnation. Various substances may be used, but by way of example I may refer to molten resin, wax or the like. The

' wreaths are simply dipped in the fluid and then collars, one of which is shown at 58. The resuiting corrugated double cylinder is then removed from the pair of mandrels 52 and 54.

The double cylinder, like the single cylinder, previously described, is readily bent because'of the crushed or corrugated nature of the paper wall. The double cylinder may be bent in the manner schematically illustrated in Fig. 10, which shows one end only thereof. It will be noted that in this case the collateral cylinders 60 and 62 are disposed on the periphery of the wreath, the connecting web 56 forming the inside surface of the wreath. In other words, the toroids formed by each of the cylinders 60 and 62 are to be of equal diameter and arranged side by side.

The double cylinder is extremely flexible and therefore may be bent in a single plane in the manner schematically illustrated in Fig. 11, which for simplicity shows one end only. It will be noted in this case that the toroids formed by cylinders 64 and 66 are located one within the other, the connecting web 56 being disposed in a plane parallel to the plane of the toroid. The toroid 66 is smaller in diameter than toroid 64 and is disposed inside toroid 64. This form of wreath is intended to be placed with the web 56 toward the back or against the wall on which the wreath is hung. 1

It will be understood that the detailed steps and precautions heretofore pointed out in connection with the single cylinder are all equally well applicable to the double cylinder.

It is believed that the corrugated paper wreath of myinvention, as well as the method of manufacturing the same, and the many advantages of each, will be apparent from the foregoing detailed description.

A long continuous cylinder may be formed by spirally winding a strip of paper, the resulting tube being compressed and cut into short lengths or cut into short lengthsand compressed. The

biased grain produces an irregular corrugation. In referring to a decorative simulation of a bow of ribbon or the like, I mean to include any suitable decoration, such as a bell, a sprig of holly, a leaf, etc. The regenerated cellulose paper may be cemented by heat or by an adhesive instead of by merely moistening the same. The crepe paper, tissue paper, regenerated cellulose paper, or other stock, may, if desired, be preliminarily hacked or laminated with a layer of scrim or cheesecloth.

W tt

' It will therefore be apparent that while I have shown and described the invention in preferred forms, many changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention defined in the following claims.

I'claim:

1. As an article of manufacture, an elongated freely pliable transversely corrugated paper tube, saidtube comprising a plurality of layers of paper in tubular formation crumpled in an axial direction, the paper tube having acontinuous series of separate independent unconnected transverse relatively movable corrugations.

2. As an article of manufacture, an elongated freely bendable corrugated paper tube, said tube comprising a plurality of layers of crepe paper in tubular formation crumpled in an axial direction,-

the paper having a continuous series of separate independent unconnected transverse relatively movable corrugations.

3. As an article of manufacture, an elongated paper having a continuous series of irregular transverse relatively movable corrugations.

4. As an article of manufacture, an elongated bendable corrugated paper tube, said tube comprising a plurality of layers of regenerated cellulose paper forming a relatively thin-walled cylinder which is crumpled in an axial direction, the paper having a series of separate independent unconnected transverse relatively movable corrugations.

5. As an article of manufacture, a paper wreath or the like, said wreath comprising a hollow generally circular or ring-shaped body made of a plurality of thicknesses or convolutions of paper crumpled and having a continuous series of spaced unconnected transverse relatively movable corrugations, the ends of the paper being secured in end to end relation to form a closed ring.

6. As an article of manufacture, a paper wreath or the like, said wreath comprising a generally toroid-shaped body made of a plurality of thicknesses of paper crumpled in the direction of the axis of the generatrix and having a continuous series of spaced unconnected transverse relatively movable corrugations, the wallthickness of the wreath being only a fraction of the radius of the generatrix, the ends of the paper being secured in end to end relation to forrna closed ring, and a decorative simulation of a bow of ribbon or the like secured to said wreath.

7. As an article of manufacture, a paper wreath or the like, said wreath comprising a generally toroid-shaped bodymade of a plurality of thicknesses or convolutions of crepe paper crumpled and having a continuous series of spaced unconnected transverse relatively movable corrugations, the ends of the paper being secured in end to end relation to forni a closed ring.

8. As an article of manufacture, a paper wreath or the like, said wreath comprising a gengeneratrix and having a continuous series of spaced unconnected transverse relatively movable corrugations, the wall thickness of the wreath being only a fraction of the radius of the generatrix, the ends of the paper being secured in end to end relation to form a closed ring, and a decorative paper simulating a bow of ribbon or the like cemented to said wreath.

9. As an article of, manufacture, a paper wreath or the like, said wreath comprising a generally toroid-shaped body made of a plurality of thicknesses or convolutions of crepe paper wound with the grain extending in the direction of the axis of the convolutions, said paper being crumpled into a continuous series of spaced transverse relatively movable corrugations which give the surface of the wreath an irregular appearance and which facilitate bending of the paper to toroid shape, the ends of the paper being flanged outwardly and cemented together in end to end relation to form a closed ring, and a decoration secured to said wreath at the connection between the aforesaid abutting ends of the paper.

10. As an article of manufacture, a paper wreath or the like, said wreath comprising a generally toroid-shaped body made of a plurality of thicknesses of regenerated cellulose paper crumpled and having a continuous series of v spaced unconnected transverse relatively movable corrugations which give the surface of the wreath an irregular appearance and which facilitate bending of the paper to toroid shape, the ends of the paper being secured in end to end relation to form a closed ring.

11. As an article of manufacture, a paper wreath or the like, said wreath comprising a generally toroid-shaped body made of a plurality of thicknesses of regenerated cellulose paper crumpled in the direction of the axis of the generatrix and having a continuous series of spaced unconnected transverse relatively movable corrugations which give the surface of the wreath an irregular appearance and which facilitate bending of the paper to toroid shape, the wall thickness of the wreath being only a fraction of the radius of the generatrix, the ends of the paper being secured together in end to end relation to form a closed ring, and a decorative paper simulating a bow of ribbon or the like cemented to said wreath.

12. As an article of manufacture, a paper,

wreath or the like, said wreath comprising a generally toroid-shaped body made of a plurality of thicknesses of regenerated cellulose paper axially compressed to crumple the same into a continuous series of spaced transverse relatively movable corrugations, the ends of the paper being flanged outwardly and cemented together in end to end relation to form a closed ring, and a decoration secured to said wreath at the connection between the aforesaid abutting ends of the paper.

13. In the manufacture of a paper wreath or the like, the method which includes winding a piece of paper about a mandrel to form a long thin-walled tube of paper, compressing the paper axially to crumple the same into a continuous series of spaced transverse relatively movable corrugations, removing the resulting tube from the mandrel and bending the same to circular configuration, and securing the ends of the cylinder together.

14. In the manufacture of a paper wreath or the like, the method which includes winding a piece of crepe paper about a mandrel with the grain ofthe paper running longitudinally of the mandrel for a plurality of thicknesses to form a cylinder of paper, cementing the outer edge of the paper, compressing the paper axially to crumple the same into a continuous series of spaced transverse flexible corrugations, and at the same time fianging the ends, removing the resulting corrugated cylinder from the mandrel and bending the same to circular or toroidal configuration, and cementing the flanged ends together.

15. In the manufacture of a paper wreath or the like, the method which includes winding the paper to form along thin-walled cylinder, compressing the paper axially only sufiiciently to crumple the same into a continuous series of spaced transverse relatively movable corrugations, and bending the cylinder to circular or toroidal configuration.

.16. In the manufacture of a paper wreath or the like, the method which includes winding the paper about a smooth mandrel for a plurality of thicknesses to form a long thin-walled cylinder of paper, cementing the outer edge of the paper, compressing the paper axially to crumple the same into a continuous series of spaced transverse relatively movable corrugations, and at the same time fianging the ends, removing the corrugated cylinder from the mandrel, bending the same to circular or toroidal configuration, and cementing the flanged ends together.

17. In the manufacture of a paper wreath or the like, the method which includes winding a piece of paper about a mandrel to form a long thin-walled cylinder, removing the resulting cylinder from the mandrel and placing the same over a mandrel of lesser diameter, compressing the paper axially to crumple thesame into a continuous series of transverse corrugations, removing the resulting corrugated cylinder from the mandrel and bending the same to circular or toroidal configuration, and securing the ends of the cylinder together.

18. In the manufacture of a paper wreath or the like, the method which includes winding a piece of" regenerated cellulose paper about a mandrel for a plurality of thicknesses to form a long thin-walled cylinder, cementing the outer edge of the paper by moistening the same, removing the resulting cylinder from the mandrel and placing the same over a mandrel of lesser diameter, compressing the paper axially to crumple the same into a continuous series of spaced transverse relatively movable corrugations, and at the same time fianging the ends, removing the resulting corrugated cylinder from the mandrel, bending the same to circular or toroidal configuration, and cementing the flanged ends of the cylinder together.

19. In the manufacture of an elongated freely pliable transversely corrugated paper tube, the method which includes winding a wide band of paper about a mandrel to a thickness only a fraction of the diameter of the mandrel in order to form a long thin-walled tube of paper, and compressing the tube of paper axially only sufficiently to crumple the same into a continuous series of transverse corrugations.

20. In the manufacture of an elongated freely pliable transversely corrugated paper tube, the method which includes winding a wide band of paper about a smooth cylindrical mandrel for a plurality of convolutions to a thickness only a fraction of the diameter of the mandrel in order to form a long cylinder of paper of suitable thickness, cementing the outer edge of the paper to hold the convolutions, and compressing the paper axially only sufficiently to crumple the same into a continuous series of transverse corrugations.

21. In the manufacture of an elongated flexible corrugated paper tube, the method which includes winding a relatively wide piece of paper about a smooth cylindrical mandrel to form a long cylinder of paper, and compressing the paper axially only sufficiently to crumple the same into a continuous series of transverse irregular corrugations.

22. In the manufacture of an elongated flexible corrugated paper tube, the method which includes winding a relatively wide piece of crepe paper about a smooth cylindrical mandrel of uniform diameter with the grain of the paper running longitudinally of the axis of the mandrel to a thickness only a fraction of the diameter of the mandrel in order to form a cylinder of paper, cementing the outer edge of the paper, and compressing the paper axially to crumple the same into a continuous series of transverse irregular corrugations.

23. In the manufacture of a corrugated paper tube, the method which includes winding a piece' of paper about a smooth cylindrical mandrel for a plurality of thicknesses to form a long thinwalled cylinder of paper, removing the resulting cylinder from the mandrel and placing the same over a mandrel of lesser diameter, and compressing the paper axially to crumple the same into a continuous series of spaced transverse relatively movable corrugations.

24. In the manufacture of a long pliable transversely corrugated paper tube, the method which includes winding a piece of regenerated cellulose paper about a smooth cylindrical mandrel for a plurality of thicknesses to form a long thinwalled cylinder of paper, cementing the outer edge of the paper by moistening the same, removing the resulting cylinder from the mandrel and placing the same over a mandrel of lesser diameter, and compressing the paper axially only sufficiently to crumple the same into a continuous series of transverse corrugations.

25. As an article of manufacture, an elongated, freely pliable transversely corrugated double paper tube, said tube comprising a sheet of paper having its opposite edges rolled toward one another to form a doubl tube, the two tubes being connected by the'middle part of the paper sheet, said double tube being crumpled in an axial direction and having a continuous series of transverse, relatively movable corrugations.

26. As an article of manufacture, a double paper wreath or the like, said wreath comprising 30 two torcid-shaped bodies disposed immediately.

adjacent one another, both bodies being made of a paper sheet having opposite edges rolled toward one another, with the bodies joined by the intermediate part of the paper sheet, the paper being crumpled in the direction of the axis of the generatrix, and having a'continuous series of spaced transverse relatively movable corrugations, the ends of the paper being secured in end to end relation to form a closed ring.

27. In the manufacture of an elongated free] pliable transversely corrugated double paper tube; the method which includes winding the opposite edges of a sheet of paper toward one another about a pair of mandrels'to form a double tube, the two tubes being connected by the middle part of the paper sheet, and compressing the resulting double cylinder of paper axially only sufficiently to crumple the same into a continuous series of transverse corrugations.

28. In the manufacture of a double paper wreath or the like, the method which includeswinding the opposite edges of a sheet of paper toward one another about a pair of mandrels to form a double tube, the two tubes being connected by the middle part of the paper sheet, compressing the paper axially to crumple the same into a continuous series of transverse corrugations, removing the resulting flexible double cylinder from the mandrels, bending the same to circular configuration, and securing the ends together,

VICTOR T. HOEFLICH. 

